Friday, July 12, 2013

On My Way To Peru!

Hola Familia!

Last P-day at the MTC, say whaaaaat?! 3. More. Days. Holy crap!!
Pretty much we have been waiting for reassignments and about passed out on
Monday when we walked in to see travel plans on our desks. We then had to go
through the whole night freaking out because the travel office was closed! What
were they thiiiinking?! So first thing in the morning we went to the travel
office and were officially told we were leaving for Peru Monday. I've never
felt so many emotions at once! The other Hermanas in our district are still
waiting for their reassignments, though. All of the Elders also leave Monday as
well. It's sad we're all leaving! On Sundays we always sing "God Be
With You Till We Meet Again" in Spanish for the people who are leaving and
I know for a fact I'll be bawling! I'm so excited though :)

This week for fast Sunday we had Mission Conference. First
things first.. Fast Sunday at the MTC=worst thing ever! I've never seen Elders
eat so much before! Dinner was craaazy! I swear each Elder had four plates
each! Oh Elders...

Anyway, I learned so much! I loved President Hacking's
talk.He talked a lot about personal
prayer. He said, "If we struggle with personal prayer, we will struggle
spiritually. Prayer is the beginning, the forerunner of faith. Prayer secures
blessings God already has for us. They are given when we ask. When we recognize
the significance of our relationship with God, we are His children and He is
our Father, prayer becomes natural. We can't know anything at all without
prayer."

That's one thing that's strengthened a lot while I've been here.
I always prayed before, but only because that's what I knew I was supposed to
do. I've gotten so much better at just talking with God. I look forward to the
time at night when I get to have personal prayer :) It took me a while to just
realize the relationship that He is my Father.Now when I pray I make it a goal to talk to God like I would to dad, and
I love it! :)

Sister Nally also talked and she talked about the pioneers. The
pioneers had thousands of miles to walk in faith, and one different footstep on
their part would've changed generations. We, as missionaries, need to be
pioneers of our own families. She also said when we have faith we won't ask,
"What else do I have to do?" but rather, "What more can I
do?" It was a really good conference :) Even if our stomachs were growling
uncontrollably...

I really loved Tuesday's devotional too! Elder L. Lionel
Kendrick (Emeritus Gen. Authority) talked. I wrote down so much from him! He
said we will know we are serving God and not only serving time when we wake up
in the mornings and instead of asking, "What do I have to do today?"
ask, "How am I going to get everything all done today?" I loved so
much about his talk, but my favorite part was definitely the end. He gave all
of us missionaries a priesthood blessing! How awesome is that?! I've never seen
that before. He blessed us with the comforting influence of the spirit, that
our knowledge would be quickened and that we will be able to recall what we've
learned when they are needed. He blessed us that we would remember fond
memories of the truth we've learned, and that we will feel the spirit always.
He also blessed us to learn our languages. He also told us that, as
missionaries, sometimes we just expect the spirit to be with us because we ask
for it. We have to be sincere and do our part :) It was a good devotional to
end on :)

On Wednesday we hosted again. I actually hosted a sister going
to Chance's mission so that was neat! Both of the sisters I hosted were
handling it well :) I've never realized how heavy luggage is though! We were
all exhausted by the time we were done lol. I did see the DeBry's driving away
after dropping Sister DeBry off :) I've seen Sister DeBry a couple of times and
she seems like she is doing great! It feels like I was the one just being
dropped off, and now I'm leaving to Peru! It's so crazy.

Yesterday we had In-Field Training annnnd I'm not gonna lie.. So
boring. I think our teachers are just too awesome, because we had already
learned all of the lessons pretty much. But I did learn some new things and it
gave me a better idea of how the mission will be so it was still great :)

Our teachers really are the best though!

This week Hermano Sagers was helping us all with problems and
Hermana Petersen and I had no idea what specific thing we needed. We just
needed help in general. So I asked him what I need to improve on and he said,
"Why are you asking me? God's the one with the answers; ask Him." So
at first I was thinking, "Why wouldn't you help us? You helped everyone
else individually, but not us" and then Hermana Petersen opened up her
scriptures and immediately read 1 Nephi 7:12:

Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is
able to do all athings according to his will, for the children of men, if it so
be that they exercise bfaith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.

There's our answer! I don't know why I doubt so much. So then
Hermana Petersen and I went for a nice walk around the MTC and talked about
everything! We decided we need to have a "Sacred Grove Prayer" Sunday
night before we leave. Elder Powell and Elder Moffitt challenged us to do this.
We're just going to go find a quiet spot and each have individual prayer
time... We decided we need a box of tissues for each of us because the mission
has made us into pansies!

Today the teachers also each left us a picture and a reason
why we received that picture. I was given a picture of Mary teaching Jesus to
pray. They said that learning a language is hard, but that I've never lost
patience, so that's a good thing right? Haha I don't have the letter with me,
but I'll tell you later exactly what it said later. That's just the thing I
remember because I don't consider myself patient lol.

Okay now
for our mouse experience! We are convinced we have a mouse living in our room.
We keep having nibbled on granola bars! One of them was from fast Sunday
so we know that wasn't us... I've never been so paranoid in my life... And then
I realized I'm going to Peru... And they have giant rats... And
spiders... And who knows what else... Awesome. Bring it on Peru, bring it
on!

Funny quote
time... Okay so one of the Districts below us has suuuuper touchy Elders lol...
Super funny for us Hermanas. Anyway.. This week Elder Keetch says, "I
thought when I came on my mission my butt would stop getting touched..."
We just all stared at him lol and then he thinks for a second after nobody says
anything and was like "Umm... Yeeeahhh... That came out
wrong..." SO funny! Have I ever mentioned I love my District? ;) They're
seriously the greatest! Funniest Elders you will ever meet. By the way my
whole District makes fun of Ferron sooo they all decided we're having a
District 2A reunion in good ole Ferron, Utah! The first time I was describing
where I lived someone thought they were clever and said, "Is that even on
a map??" Reeeeal funny. Just wait. They'll come to Ferron and never wanna
leave! They even made fun of Grub Box and that was just crossing the
line... I won't put up with such nonsense! ;)

Well I'm
gonna go now because I really can't think of anything else that's happened. The
days get all mixed up! And every time I log off I think of like ten things to
say... I need to start writing stupid moments down every day so I can remember
to tell you... Maybe... We'll see :) But I love you all so much and am so
grateful for the support. There's no way I could even think about hopping on a
plane and taking off to Peru if I didn't have the support and love I do. I
have no idea how I've been so blessed! LOVE YOU! Have a great week :)
Talk to you next week... FROM PERU!! :)